Guest Post - Chocolate Caramel Dipped Pretzels

 Happy 4th of July everyone!  I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing day.  Today I bring you my first Guest Post.  I would like to introduce you to Janet.  She writes over at From Cupcakes to Caviar.  She has a great sense of humor.  You will leave her site hungry and laughing!  Today she made you a 4th of July themed treat!  So sit back and meet Janet!

Hey there everybody!
I'm Janet from Cupcakes to Caviar  and I was honored when Erin asked me to do a guest host post (heh... I made a rhyme. I'm so special huh?) while she is on vacation. We so won't get into how jealous I am that she GETS a vacation. I think the last time I went on vacation was...ummm...never. ERIN!!! WAIT UP!!! I'll sleep in the trunk of the car! I'm toilet trained!  I'll live on Cheetos!! Wait for meeeee! 

Erhmmm, moving on now. When she asked me to guest host, beyond feeling honored, I was nervous. What should I make? Maybe I needed to make something fancy like Truffled Pork Bellys served With a Lobster Testicle Risotto (umm...ew? Plus there goes my food budget for the year) or Filet Mignon made with rare Peruvian Emu Toes as a side dish. But then it occurred to me that that isn't what I do on MY blog so why pretend here? So I decided to make something simple because I'm all about easy 80% or so of the time (the other 20% it's Cheetos or Twinkies. Ok, I really DO cook fancy and complex sometimes...I admit it). So here we go! Hope you like it. Please like it or I'll cry and drop to the floor and kick my legs like my two year old does.

I've never been a huge fan of salty snacks. Well, other than Cheetos and you can't do to them what I've done to pretzels. Yes, what you're thinking...chocolate dipped; but with a twist. This IS me after all. Back to salty snacks.... these pretzels may make me change my mind. Yes, I know; they aren't strictly a salty snack anymore. But there is salt on them darn it! Salt! So it counts. I can now say that I like salty snacks :-D
But as much as I adore my beloved Cheetos (my orange stained keyboard and the fact that everyone thinks I wear orange nail polish all the time might be a clue) you can't coat them with chocolate and caramel (yes, that is todays secret weapon...caramel!) and decorate them. Well, I suppose you COULD but you couldn't make even ME try those. Seriously though, I know we've all heard of and/or tried chocolate dipped pretzels. I've never been a huge fan but I wanted to make something festive and holiday-ish (yes that is now a word. Shush. Don't argue.) for The Fourth Of July and I loved the idea of putting caramel on these. It took them out of the ordinary chocolate covered pretzel realm into something bit different. I knew my kids and husband would love this and the surprise was that so do I.  So try these. Right now. Go melt some chocolate and some caramel. Decorate. Eat. Say "ooo" and "ahhh" cause they are colorful. :-D


Side note because I'm honest- these are a pain in the BUTT to make lol. I think I had more chocolate, caramel and sprinkles on the walls, the counter and myself than I did on the pretzels. Mine certainly don't look professional but no one cared in the least. They are already gone lol. Next time I'm making the Emu Toes.


Chocolate Caramel Dipped Pretzels
20 stick pretzels
1 11 ounce bag Kraft caramel bits, melted
1 12 ounce bag semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
sprinkles, colored sugars, colored icings and/or whatever you want to decorate these with

Line your counter with about 4 rolls of waxed paper (ok, maybe it's just me that should have done that.) But seriously, line the counter with waxed paper. Spray it with cooking spray. Trust me; don't skip this step (I missed some spots) or like me, you will be peeling bits of waxed paper off of these and cussing loudly.

Dip the pretzels into the caramel. I had to kind of scoop it on and spread it around with the back of a spoon. Lay each one on the waxed paper and let sit until the caramel firms up somewhat.

Dip (scoop, use fingers... what ever works; not that *I* was using my fingers. NEVER! Ahem.) the melted chocolate over the caramel layer. Let sit for about ten minutes until it is slightly set. Sprinkle with whatever you are decorating them with. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm I will pray for you that yours look better than mine :-P. Oh heck, ANYONES would look better than mine do. :-D